Chapter 15 15
|| Author Pov ||
Then, without meaning to, Alice’s eyes lifted and she froze.
“Have some, Chloe.”
All heads turned toward Tristian.
He was casually placing a few shrimp onto Chloe’s plate. Nick raised an eyebrow and exchanged a look with his mother. Martha, however, was watching her elder son in silence.
Tristian smiled with a calm expression. Chloe returned it with a bright, playful grin. “Thanks a lot.” she said cheerfully.
But Tristian’s gaze soon drifted toward Alice. Alice blinked rapidly. Her lashes trembled before she quickly looked away.
A faint pang tightened in his chest. He had only meant to tease her, to draw a flicker of jealousy from her quiet demeanor. But instead…
She looked hurt.
Tristian exhaled softly, pressing his tongue against the inside of his cheek as he studied her bowed head.
\-----------
Alice walked quietly down the corridor after dinner. The house had gone still; everyone had already retired to their rooms.
Suddenly, a rough hand shot out from a doorway and yanked Alice inside. Her back hit the wooden door with a soft thud. Alice gasped. Her heart leaped to her throat. It didn’t take long to realize who it was.
Her fearful eyes lifted, meeting Tristian’s cold piercing gaze. His face was mere inches from hers.
“You’ve been ignoring me.” he rasped, eyes burning into hers.
Alice frowned faintly. He was the one who’d been ignoring her.
She tried to pull her hands free but Tristian caught them easily, pinning them against the door.
“Alice.” he murmured, leaning in closer, his tone shifted gentler but no less commanding.
Alice said nothing. Her lips pressed into a thin line.
“Alice.” he whispered again with his breath brushing against her lips. “Talk to me.”
Then, silence stretched between them. Alice’s heart pounded so loud she thought he could hear it.
“Why should I?” she finally whispered. Her voice shook but steady enough to sting.
Tristian’s jaw tightened. “Because I don’t like being ignored.” he said in a deep tone but something softer flickered in his eyes.
Alice swallowed hard. “You didn’t even look at me tonight.” she shot back, surprising even herself.
Tristian blinked, momentarily caught off guard. His grip on her wrists loosened just slightly. “So you did notice.” he murmured.
Alice turned her face away, trying to steady her breath. “You smiled at her.”
A faint smirk tugged at Tristian’s lips, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I wanted to see if you’d care.”
Alice froze. Her throat tightened. Her mind went blank.
Tristian’s expression softened just a little as he leaned closer. His hand rose to touch her cheek and caressed gently “You did care.” his words were a whisper against her ear.
Alice backed up. “Y-you can’t talk to me like this.”
Tristian’s expression hardened. “Why not? I’m only saying the truth. Your husband doesn’t love you, Alice. He never will.” His voice dropped lower. “He deserves to feel what he’s made you feel.”
Her eyes lifted sharply to his. “You’re my brother-in-law. Please… stop.”
Tristian chuckled, stepping back just enough to let the tension breathe. “Then tell me something.” he said, tilting his head. “You weren’t jealous tonight? When I acted kind to Chloe?”
Alice’s lips parted, but no words came. Her silence said more than anything she could’ve spoken.
“I’ll be leaving this house soon.” Alice said quietly.
Tristian’s smug expression faltered. “You won’t.”
“I will.”
“You won’t!” he snapped fiercely.
“I will.” Alice insisted. Her eyes glistened and tears threatened to fall.
Tristian clenched his jaw. His anger melted into something he couldn’t name. He stepped back, exhaling sharply before averting his gaze. “I’ll wait.” he muttered finally, his tone rough. “I’ll wait for you to change your mind.”
Alice’s fingers tightened around her dress and she turned away. Without another word, she opened the door and stepped out, leaving him behind in the silence.
Tristian dragged a hand down his face, frustration clawing at his chest. He didn’t understand why he was so drawn to her, why he couldn’t look away even when he knew he should.
“Damn it!” he muttered under his breath, breaking the stillness of the room.
\----------
The Next Day
Tristian Volcov strode through the gleaming halls of his company, exuding the kind of authority that made heads turn and hearts pound. His men followed close behind, clutching stacks of documents. Their footsteps echoed against the marble floor.
The guards at the conference room door straightened instantly, opening it with a swift motion. The moment Tristian stepped inside, the chatter died. Silence blanketed the room.
Tristian moved with effortless grace with measured steps. Every glance seemed commanding. To them, he wasn’t just their CEO.
He was the Tristian Volcov, the ruthless billionaire, the man whispered about in both boardrooms and underworld alleys.
Reaching the head of the long glass table, Tristian sat down. His guards wordlessly handed him the files. Tristian flipped one open, scanning it briefly before lifting his gaze.
“Good evening, everyone.” he said in a dark rasp.
No one dared to breathe too loudly. Tristian’s cold gaze swept across the room, piercing through every face until it landed on a familiar one. His lips curved into a knowing smirk.
James Smith.
The moment their eyes met, James’s brows twitched and jaw tightened. His fist curled under the table which caused the knuckles to turn pale.
The air between them thickened. Old rivalry simmered beneath the surface.
Today’s meeting gathered the most powerful CEOs in the city but Tristian was the one sitting at the throne’s head. The ruler among wolves.
“Let’s begin.” Tristian commanded calmly yet sharp enough to slice through the silence.
The discussion flowed efficiently under his control with an unquestioned authority. Every word he spoke carried weight, the kind that silenced opposition before it even formed.
Within the hour, the meeting concluded. One by one, the CEOs began leaving, murmuring polite goodbyes.
Tristian rose smoothly, adjusting his coat with practiced ease. His smirk never wavered. His eyes flicked once more toward James.
He didn’t need words. His presence alone was enough to remind James who ruled this game.
As Tristian was about to step out, a voice cut through the silence behind him.
“You’re playing with danger, Tristian Volcov!”
Tristian halted mid-stride. The room stilled again. Slowly, he turned his head. His eyes glinted with amusement.
“How can I play with myself?” His lips curled into a dark, mocking smirk.
A low murmur rippled among the few who remained. James’s face darkened, his jaw locking tight. “Hand over the deal, Mr. Volcov. I want it.” He spoke like a spoiled prince demanding what wasn’t his.
Tristian chuckled, deeply and dangerously. “You want it?” He took a slow step closer, dropping his voice to a lethal calm. “Then earn it, Smith. Not every deal in this world is yours for the taking.”
James’s fists trembled in rage.
But Tristian only smirked wider. “You can’t stand it, can you? That I got the deal you spent years chasing.” He leaned closer, voice a whisper of steel. “Maybe next time, try playing the game better.”
Tristian straightened his coat, turned his back on James and walked out, leaving nothing behind but the echo of his dominance.
James gritted his teeth. “Fucking bastard, I’ll make you pay!”